Page 22 - North Haven Magazine Issue 14 Summer 2020

Meet Rotary Club President
Mark Lesage

By Marisa Hexter
n July, I was able to interview the current Rotary Club pres-
Iident Mark Lesage. Originally from Hamden, Mark moved
to North Haven in 2003. “My route of life was to be an elec-
trician, but I actually got into a car accident where I couldn’t
do electrical work anymore.” He ended up having back sur- Mark was “very excited to become Rotary Club president,”
gery and the orthotist who made his back brace, Rick Di- as he is thrilled to share new opportunities and innovative
Norscia was a member of the Rotary Club. Mark states Rick ideas for fundraising in the future. Though being president
got him interested in Rotary. He worked with Rick on a few during this continuing pandemic has been challenging as it
projects when he first started, such as “Dimes for Rotary.” At is difficult to fundraise and see members, he does not have
the time Mark became a member of the Rotary Club, he was many worries, “because I am not going into it alone... I have
the youngest rotarian for quite a while. a team and a board and a whole club behind me. Theres no
“I” in team.” Mark was also the first president to be inducted
Outside of the Rotary Club, Mark is in business develop- online, a unique experience he says; “it definitely was differ-
ment and marketing for an ambulance company. Before the ent”. One charity Mark is eager to work with is Saint Jude, as
current health crisis, he used to visit every patient, nursing it has “a special place in my heart.”
home, dialysis center and hospital. “How I am taking care of
my patients” Mark states is, “a whole new world for me.” The duties of president include presiding over club and board
meetings, managing club finances, working with the district
Rotary Club is a not-for-profit governor and assistant governor of the Rotary Club, and set-
organization created over 70 ting new goals for fundraising. For those who are younger
years ago. “An international and would like to join, the Rotary Club has a charter Rot-
service organization whose aract Club for individuals between the ages of eighteen to
stated purpose is to bring to- thirty. “Rotary will help [people] develop professional and
gether business and profes- leadership skills” states Mark.
sional leaders in order to pro-
vide humanitarian service and When asked what his favorite part of being a member of the
to advance goodwill.” In North Rotary Club is, Mark talks about how the club is one big fam-
Haven, Rotary Club has many ily. “Everyone is always there for you.” Between meetings and
fundraisers to benefit not only fundraising and other events, “you’re seeing them sometimes
the town, but other charities more than your own family.” Mark also belongs to the East
and individuals close to the Haven Italian Club, where he won the bocce ball tournament
Rotarian’s hearts. In recent last year, and the American Wine Society. He makes his own
years, the Rotary Club worked wine and cooks traditional foods like homemade sauce,
with the town to make North dried sausage, and marinated eggplants with his friends and
Haven a HeartSafe commu- family. Mark also shared a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson
nity by fundraising to imple- which he is fond of, “Do not go where the path may lead, go
ment AEDs around the town. instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
Mark states this fundraising
and implementation “drove His favorite things about North Haven? First, Mark stated
me a little bit more to how ex- the food, “I’m a huge foodie.” He then spoke about how the
citing Rotary is and how we community, the people who live in North Haven, and Rotary
can help people.” In July of this Club both are great parts of the town, “somehow when I was
year, “we just gave the town of younger, I always said how I was going to live here.”
North Haven $6,000... for the dispersement of masks that are
going to every household.” Other popular fundraisers the
Rotary Club organizes are the Pancake Community Break-
fast and the Day of Wine and Roses.
Mark names all the members of the Rotary Club as his men-
tors. “I look up to all of them,” he states. “I’ve learned some-
thing from each and every member.” He also sees the owner
of the company he works for Saleem Kahan, who he’s known
since 2007, as a mentor. “He definitely brought me to leader-
ship through my company.” Now that he is in the position of
members who helped him, Mark sees himself as a mentor to
the younger and newer members of the Rotary Club today.

22 North Haven Magazine - Summer Issue 2020